Photoshop
Cover artist Alex Jensen picks out the important details behind the concept and creation of his sword-wielding warrior bird
Fantasy warriors, creatures and many anthropomorphic characters are themes I always love to draw. It’s a wonderfully diverse and rich world where I’m able to contribute creative solutions.
This concept was devised for a character design challenge themed around a bird warrior. Whenever I have the time, I’m always eager to dive into these challenges. I relish the opportunity to tackle characterdesign, and learn from other artists’ approaches and execution, which I find incredibly inspiring.
It’s a perfect space to experiment differently from my usual methods, and the fact that it’s a short challenge allows for more direct execution, avoiding days of extensive concept exploration. It also encourages me to take a step out of my comfort zone, tackling concepts I may not have had the chance to work on before. Have I ever created a warrior bird? Let’s see what comes of it!
Throughout this process, I merge the more traditional methods with digital, initially sketching ideas in a notebook and transitioning across to digital to render the final image, and add those finishing touches. With this piece, my goal was to create a contrast between an elegant and masterful bird, who exudes lightness and yet carries a certain power in his swordsmanship. He’s a kind of knight who comes from a grand realm, undefeated but battle-tested through numerous conflicts.
